


The Bae-bysitter

by empty_cup_and_a_chipped_heart



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Floof Family Fluff, Rumbelle Christmas in July, all of the fluff, for truerumbelle, rcij
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-25
Updated: 2015-07-25
Packaged: 2018-04-11 04:25:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4421240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/empty_cup_and_a_chipped_heart/pseuds/empty_cup_and_a_chipped_heart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Belle French, the librarian, babysits Mr Gold's son, Bae, while Gold deals with divorce proceedings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Bae-bysitter

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I know this is a terrible pun.   
> But, honestly, I'm disappointed no one did this before.

“Good morning, Mr. Gold. And hello Bae.” Belle smiles as they near the circulation desk. The library is dead on Tuesday mornings, and she is more than happy for the company. “Are you here for new books? I just put out some new murder mysteries, and I know there has to be at least one picture book you haven’t checked out.” 

Eoin Gold gives her a tight smile. He has two stuffed sheep under his caneless arm, while Bae carries the third. The backpack slung over his shoulder is bright red, with a firetruck on it, something Belle knows is Bae’s favorite thing. Not so much the firemen though, just the firetrucks.  
Eoin looks harried and haggard. “I was wondering, Miss French, if you would mind watching Bae for me for the day? I have to meet with my lawyers and my wif-- ex-wife’s.” He corrects, his face becoming even more strained. “I can give you anything for it. Lower your rent, your father’s rent, a donation to the libr--”

“Of course, I will. And you needn’t give me anything, it’s completely unnecessary.” The donation to the library is very tempting though, but Belle could never use Mr. Gold like that.

“Oh.” He looks completely shocked, as if no one has ever done something for him without exacting a price.She wonders if that might be true, that no one has ever done something for him out of the kindness of their hearts. “Very well then.”

He places the sheep on the desk and kneels down next to his son. “Bae, I’m going to go. Miss Belle will be watching you today okay? I want you to listen to whatever she says.” Bae nods, completely grave. “I love you Bae.” Gold pulls his son into a hug.

Belle tried not to stare, but a part of her aches to have that. She doesn’t mind living on her own and having so few friends, but there is a part of her who craves to have familial-- or romantic-- intimacy and affection.

“Bye Papa.” Bae mumbles, clutching his sheep tighter.   
“Thank you again.” Gold says, as he hands her the backpack. He walks Bae over to her side of the desk, reminding him to listen to Miss Belle, gives her one final good-bye and leaves.

She sighs, wishing she had just one more moment with the enigmatic Mr. Gold.

***  
The first thing Bae does is build himself a hideaway underneath Belle’s desk. He is painfully shy and any question Belle asks is met with complete silence. 

Belle doesn’t have much experience with children, except for the odd babysitting job in high school which was looking after children much older with Bae. She leaves him be, Belle knows she was painfully shy as a child and would have acted much the same if she was left with a near stranger as well.   
It’s a little before lunch when she asks him, “Bae, would you like to shelve books with me?” She’d rather not leave him alone, but she won’t force him to come with her.

He furrows his brow, lost in deep concentration. “Yes Miss Belle.” He answers gravely and takes her hand in his small one.

It takes her a few minutes to balance Bae on her hip and push the cart all while wearing heels. He snuggles against her as soon as they are both comfortable and watches in fascinated silence as she explains how the Dewey decimal system and then, at his inquiry, how the alphabet works. Bae learns the alphabet very quickly-- except for a few minor mistakes and mix-ups-- and begins helping her decide where each book goes.

By the end of their shelving adventure, he is talking animatedly with her. At least she can count a four-year-old as a friend.  
***  
Mr. Gold finds them, at the end of the day, both under Belle’s desk. She’s reading him Dealing with Dragons, a favorite from her childhood, when Mr. Gold comes in.

“Hello?” he calls, voice laced with confusion.

“Papa!” Bae shouts and crawls over Belle, nearly kneeing her in the face in his excitement. She stands up and brushes off her navy skirt, as Bae nearly bulls his father over in his rush to hug his father. 

Gold, somehow, is even more attractive mussed. His suit jacket and waist coat are gone, leaving him in a scarlet dress shirt unbuttoned at the throat and cuffs rolled up.

She’s so focused on how sexy he looks, without his suit and tie he’s nearly debauched, that she misses the entirety of his questions.

 

“What did you say?” She asks, blushing a lovely shade of tomato. Nicely done Belle, next time do try to get ahold of your libido.

He pulls at his cuffs a bit, and rubs his fingers together in what can only be as a nervous gesture. 

“I was just wondering how Bae was.”

“He was a delight! I have never had a better helper.” She smiles at Bae, trying to pretend she wasn’t just checking out a man who was in the middle of a divorce. 

“That’s good to hear. Well, I think it’s time for us to go. Say good-bye Bae.”

“Bye-bye Miss Belle.”

“Bye Bae, have a good week. And you too Mr. Gold.” She adds weakly, as he rushes Bae out the door. 

She droops, placing her head on her desk. Mr. Gold was so uncomfortable with her actions, he ran out of the library. Great. She’s ruined a relationship-- a friendship-- before she even had a chance to begin it. Belle has alienated herself from the only person she wants to have any sort of relationship with, just because she is a sucker for a man in a suit.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.  
***  
Eoin never wanted his son to have the broken home life like he did. Which was why-- although it was madness to do so-- he pushed so hard for his wi-- ex-wife to stay with them. She did, they were some incredibly unhappy years, but she was never a proper mother to Bae. She ignored him, pretending he didn’t exist, because he was the shackle keeping her there. It was a relief to them all when Milah finally decided to divorce Eoin. 

He is positive that this is why Bae is utterly entranced with Belle French. He talks nonstop about her, making her cards and drawings that he never gives in fear of rejection. It hurts Eoin’s heart whenever that happens, because it’s just another failing on his part. 

Not that he is much better than his son. The only reason why he even began taking Bae to the library was because he saw the new librarian leave the library once from his pawn shop, and he had to know who that tiny gorgeous creature was. Once they met they were both head over heels in love with her.

Miss French was-- is-- so incredibly kind to what he knew were poor attempts at flirting and hiding his feelings. He is so starved for affection that he can’t leave her alone, he’s been waiting for a restraining order for months.

There was that one moment in the library where he thought she looked at him with interest, but he is reading entirely too much into it. A woman like Belle could never be interested in him. His own wife, who was much closer to him in age, couldn’t love him or even bear to be in his presence.

Bae doesn’t understand why they haven’t been back to see Miss French. He asks daily to go back to the library, but Eoin can’t bring himself to set foot in there again. He doesn’t think he can handle the rejection.

“Papa,” Bae begins over breakfast one morning, holding a piece of paper tightly in his hand, “can we go see Miss Belle today? I wanna give her this.” 

He stares at the picture in Bae’s hand. After Milah’s ignorance of anything Bae did, he stopped having any sort of pride in anything he did.

“Of course son.” He answers weakly.

Bae eats his cereal happily, as Eoin wonders if he’ll be able to even get his down.  
***  
They leave after lunch, both jittery and nervous. Bae is creasing his drawing beyond what Gold thinks is salvageable, and Gold can hardly hold onto the handle of the cane his hands are so slippery with sweat.

Gold tries the doors of the library. Locked. His heart falls with Bae’s face.  
“We’ll try again tomorrow, okay?”

Bae nods despondently as they turn to walk back to the car. 

“Wait! Mr. Gold, Bae did you need something?”

Miss French is jogging up to them in ridiculously high heels that do things to him. It’s not entirely appropriate to be focusing on those sensations though.

Bae becomes very shy when Belle walks up to them, hiding half behind his father’s legs.

“Go on.” Eoin encourages, and pushes him a bit towards Belle.

Bae thrusts out his drawing out her, pointedly not looking Belle in the face. 

Belle takes it gently from him, opening it up and smoothing it out with great care. “Oh Bae! This is wonderful. Thank you so much.”

Bae’s face lights up immediately, and he grins wider and more sincerely than Eoin has ever seen him do before. 

Belle kneels beside him. “Is this Mama Sheepie?” she asks. Bae nods vigorously, too thrilled for words. Gold is amazed she guessed it was even a sheep, much less which one it is in his sheep family. 

Belle’s voice softens. “Is that my hair ribbon too?”

Bae nods, looking near tears, as he gently pats the ever-present ribbon. Gold may just start crying too. Bae looks happier than her ever had before, and seeing Belle be so gentle and sincere with him-- well if he wasn’t in love with her before he certainly is now. 

“Would you like to choose where it goes in my office?”

Bae smiles at her and takes her hand, as she unlocks the library doors.

Eoin trails in after them, heart too full for words.  
***  
Bae chooses to put the picture in the middle of Belle’s corkboard, hanging it proudly with the tacks Belle gives him. Mr. Gold says nothing throughout the entire exchange. He watches from the door, wearing a look of complete and utter love and adoration. 

After, Bae runs off to pick out some new books to read with his father, and leaves the adults alone. Belle has no idea what to say. They’ve only had a few discussions before this, and those were always centered on books. And occasionally the weather.

“I--” She begins, wanting to ask him about his pawnshop, just as he says “I woul--”

“Sorry. Please go ahead.” She motions for him to continue.

He looks as if he’s going to argue, but then changes his mind. “I’d like to thank you. Bae has taken to you. He doesn’t like many people.” 

“Well I like him very much. And you too.” She adds, feeling brave.

It’s Gold’s turn to blush, the tops of his cheeks turning a soft pink. “I highly don’t anyone loves a dragon, dearie.”

Her tongue gets ahead of her brain, or perhaps the heady feeling that is running through her veins and mixing in her mind that prompts her to tell him, “Except for the maiden who gives herself willingly.”

He stares at her blankly, but she can see the exact moment he understands what she’s said. His color darkens but he his lips stretch into a smile. A crocodile’s smile, her brain supplies. 

“Have dinner with me.” It isn’t a question and going off the expression he wears, he thinks he has the upper hand. He clearly does not think she would ever agree to a date with him.

“I’d love to! Friday at six?” She asks, as Bae comes trotting down the aisle with a stack of books that are nearly as big as he his.

He is lost for words. “Yes. Yes-- that would work.” He’s blushing harder now and trying to sort out Bae, who is talking excitedly about everything he found.

Once they are checked out and sorted, Belle slides Gold a piece of paper. “It’s my number, in case you need to call me for anything.”

“Oh, thank you Miss French.”

“It’s Belle, Mr. Gold.”

“Belle.” He tries out, his lips curling into a small smile. 

He leaves, looking much happier than he has in weeks. 

She’s feeling rather smug about the entire thing, until she realizes she has a date with Mr. Gold in three days. That is when she begins to panic.  
. ***  
Eoin chooses the nicest Italian restaurant in Storybrooke. Actually, it’s the only Italian restaurant. And the only nice restaurant in town. Eoin wanted to-- wants-- take Belle somewhere nicer, out of town preferably. Maybe even to Portland. Belle wouldn’t hear of it though, saying it was ridiculous to go out and do something so grand for only a few hours. Perhaps one day, he could spoil her for a weekend. An entire day without distractions and the ability to be wrapped up with Belle in bed…  
He shakes himself of that image, feeling slightly guilty to be thinking so far ahead this early on.   
Bae is perched on Eoin’s bed, watching his father get ready. He cradles one of his stuffed sheep to his chest. That particular sheep had been ignored, but one day Bae came home with a rather familiar looking blue ribbon tied around it’s neck. He hasn’t let go of it since, and is currently curling one end of the ribbon around his finger.

“Papa, are you gonna go marry Mama?” he asks, curious. 

“Bae,” he begins turning and squatting-- absolute hell on his knee-- to look his son in the eye, “Belle isn’t your mama.”

“Yes she is.” His lip juts out, looking a cross between stubborn and upset. “She says so.”

That’s new information to Eoin. He has no idea what to do with it, besides giving his a hug. “Very well.”

His son beams, and go backs to quietly watching his father finish perfecting his look.   
The doorbell rings. Bae runs off to answer it as Gold follows behind at a more sedate pace. He opens the door, as Bae wiggles impatiently. As soon as the door is open, Bae launches himself out throwing his arms around Belle and completely ignoring his babysitter.

“Thank you for coming Ruby.” He says, opening the door wider to let them into his house. 

Eoin leaves to collect his coat and cane. When he returns, Bae has been transferred to Ruby. Belle and Ruby are chatting, and Belle seems positively glowing. 

“Ready to go?” he asks.

“Yes! Thank you so much Ruby, I’ll see you Tuesday then. Bye Bae.”

“Byeee Mama.”

Belle simply smiles and takes Eoin’s arm as they walk out.

“Planning a date with Ruby?” he teases. He loves the way a soft blush creeps into her cheeks. She’s even more beautiful.

“No! I would never plan a date with someone else while on a date with you. I don’t know who would.” She says, fervently, as he opens the door to his Cadillac for her.

“You’ve never met my wife.” He responds without thinking, trying not to hit the mailbox as he backs out. It would be the third time this month, and he was getting rather tired of fixing it.

“I’m sorry.” She murmurs, squeezing his hand where it sits on the gear shift. 

Nicely done, you idiot. Yes, bring up your ex-wife while on a date. A first date nonetheless. Works really well on women.

The conversation is stilted and awkward for the rest of the drive. Gold’s tempted to drop her off at her apartment above the library and call the entire thing off.

This is madness. What the hell am I doing with a woman half my age?

But then she smiles at him, and he thinks of how thrilled Bae is and how much they adore one another, so he drives on. 

Their conversation does improve once they are in the restaurant, but it’s still a little strained. It’s not until they begin talking about his antiques’ shop does the conversation flow.   
Milah had never been interested in his shop, saying old things were stuffing and boring. He always had a feeling she was talking more about him than the shop.  
Belle however, is a rapt listener, asking questions left and right, drawing every and any story from him.

“Not many people are interested in antiques.” He remarks as he cuts into his pasta. 

Belle smiles, “Well, they always have so many stories to tell. And, well, they are rather experienced.”

He clears his throat, tugging on his tie a bit. Belle doesn’t seem to be talking much about antiques and his shop either.

Eoin steers her towards safer topics.

They talk about the library, which of course leads them to talk about books. Belle is highly passionate about any and all books and he’s found she has read pretty much everything. 

“The most unfortunate thing, about Twilight,” she begins to conclude, “is that all the secondary characters were so much more interesting than the main characters. Their backstories were incredibly varied and emotionally impactful, but instead you focused on two idiots who spent their entire time crying and sparkling. Dreadful really.”

“Someone really made money off of sparkling vampires?” He’s completely baffled. 

“Yes! If I’d known sub-par writing, contrived plot ideas, and an unhealthy, overly codependent relationship could make so much money I would have cashed in years ago.” She licks her spoon clean of the last bite of the tiramisu they shared.

“You could never write such drivel. You’d respect your readership entirely too much.”   
She snorts and smiles at the same time, making him laugh. He could listen to her talk all night long about books he never read and never plans on reading. Especially after he has heard her review on it. 

After he pays, and after quite a lot of argument from Belle about splitting the bill which would happen over his dead body, they walk back to his car, arm-in-arm.

“I can’t believe you wouldn’t let me pay for my share.” She mutters. She kicks a piece of gravel across the parking lot.

“Belle, please humor me, and let this old man play the chivalrous knight.”

“You aren’t old. And fine. But when we go out for coffee I’m paying.”

He smiles foolishly. Belle is expecting another date. With him. 

He’s feeling giddy, which is what provokes him into asking her to come over for tea. She agrees readily.

“Eoin, I have a question. It doesn’t bother you that Bae calls me ‘Mama,’ does it? Because I didn’t really meant that when I talked to him. I mean-- I’m not mad or upset he calls me Mama, it’s just that y’know, he already has one… And I don’t want you to think I’m trying to replace your ex-wife or anything, it’s just…”

“Belle,” he lays a hand just above her knee on her thigh. “I do not mind at all. He doesn’t get along well with his biological mother, and if he wants you to be the female influence in his life, well I won’t argue. Ever. He likes you and I-- I like you too.”

And then she completely beams at him, tears gathering in her eyes. “Thank you. I’ve never really had a family before, and it makes me thrilled I can be part of yours.”

“Bae was asking earlier if I was going to ask you to marry me.” He says, mouth getting ahead of his brain.

“Yeah, he was telling Ruby and I about it. You aren’t asking are you?” She asks it so nonchalantly, he can’t tell what she’s feeling.

“No, I’m not. It’ll be a long while until I’m ready to marry again.”

 

“I’m not ready yet either.”   
He catches glimpses of her out of the corner of his eye, while he drives. She’s snuggled up against the window, in direct line with the heater. She catches him watching her, and gives him a smile. Her positions changes, and she now rests her hand over his.

He smiles back.  
***  
After a spot of tea at Eoin’s house-- and a very wound up Bae bouncing all over the house-- Eoin delivers Belle to her apartment. 

Bae is wrapped up in a blanket in the backseat, sleeping. Belle is in front of the car with Eoin, exchanging pleasantries.

“Well, good night then. I need to get Bae to bed.”  
She isn’t quite ready for him to leave yet. “Eoin, wait.”

He turns, that boyish smile he wears whenever she is around him playing at his lips.

She walks up to him and places a soft kiss on his lips. She begins to draw away, until he wraps his arms around her until she is pressed up against him.

Only once her has kissed her soundly does he pull away.   
“Good night Belle.”

She watches him get into his car, waving until he becomes just a speck in the distance. 

Belle smiles into the night, and turns around and walks upstairs.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos, comments, reviews, etc. are always greatly appreciated!   
> You can find me at tumblr: emilianna-pond.tumblr.com, if you'd like to pompt me or some such.


End file.
